Sunday, 14 September 2008

Ken Foxe Public Affairs CorrespondentA MAN was charged yesterday with the murder of a drug dealer almost three years ago.Craig White, who is 22, was charged with the murder of Noel Roche, who was shot dead in a car on the Clontarf Road in November 2005.White, who gave his address at O'Devaney Gardens in Dublin's north inner city, was remanded in custody to appear in court again next Friday.The investigation into Noel Roche's murder has been on going for three years.The 27-year-old was travelling in a Ford Mondeo car when he was shot dead by an attacker, who fired four bullets through the vehicle's window.His brother John had been shot dead just seven months earlier after being ap­p­roached by a gunman in Kilmainham and fired upon.Craig White appeared at Dublin District Court for just a few minutes yesterday to hear gardaí gave evidence of arrest and caution.Det Sgt Enda Mulryan said that White had nothing to say when the charge was put to him.Noel Roche had been travelling with a friend along the Clontarf Road near the Yacht Pub when a motorcycle pulled up beside them.A gunman opened fire on Roche, who was well-known to gardaí and considered an enforcer in one of the gangs involved in a violent feud in Crumlin.Noel Roche was himself considered one of the key suspects in the fatal shootings of Gavin Byrne, 30, and Darren Geoghegan, 26, who were shot dead in Firhouse.September 14, 2008

Mick McCaffrey Security EditorGardaÍ believe a gangland murder last week was ordered from behind bars by a man serving a lengthy sentence for man­slaughter because one of his drugs shipments was intercepted by gardaí.Christopher 'Git' McDonagh was shot four times by two gunmen after he threw himself from a top-floor window of his house in Ronans­town, west Dublin, last Tuesday.McDonagh was well-known to gardaí as a drug dealer who operated with some of the city's biggest players, although he only had one criminal conviction. Detectives believe the 27-year-old was murdered because it was suspected he was a garda informer. In July 2006 McDonagh loaded a car with €2.7m worth of cannabis which was then driven to Brownsbarn, off the Naas Road. It had been intended the drugs would be delivered to the crime gang led by Martin 'Marlo' Hyland but detectives had received intelligence and arrested a number of men. McDonagh was also detained although he was never charged.The drugs haul belonged to a man from Clondalkin who is in prison for man­slaughter. He and his partner, who is from Kildare, blamed McDonagh for the captured drugs and warned him he would be murdered. McDonagh's pleas that he was not an informer fell on deaf ears. Gardaí were aware of the threats and had approached the murder victim to advise him about personal protection. McDonagh installed a CCTV system in his house.Officers do not know who pulled the trigger but believe associates of the jailed man were responsible after he gave the go-ahead from his cell over the last two weeks.Several other theories are also being probed.September 14, 2008

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Some of what are referred to as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are crudely put together, but most have the potential to injure or kill.

Gardai have been alarmed at the casual use of the bombs, often putting which often put innocent children and the elderly at risk.

Army bomb disposal units have dealt with dozens of call-outs this year, most of them in Dublin.

Traditionally, pipe bombs have used readily available propellent powder from shotguns and a variety of homemade odds and ends.

Some of the homemade bombs have been hidden in Pringles crisp containers, with gardai concerned that children could easily become victims.

Crude

Experts believe some of the crude IEDs have been made with instructions downloaded from the internet, with none of the components used by experienced bomb makers – but even pipe bombs can still be deadly.

But some ex-paramilitary expertise is also believed to have been “hired in” by crime gangs who, up to now, have lacked the necessary expertise skills in bomb making.

Drug gangs have shown they have the capacity to acquire the latest hi-tech firepower, as well as ex-eastern bloc hand grenades.

Experts believe it is only a matter of time before they get their hands on high grade military plastic explosive like C4 or Semtex-H, which is thousands of times more powerful than crude pipe bombs.

In Tallaght last April, components for up to 20 pipe bombs were recovered in a car park.

At its crudest, a pipe bomb is a closed section of steel pipe filled with explosive material. The shrapnel generated by the bomb can kill.

The filling is often shotgun powder, or even match heads, and handling such materials carries a real risk of self harm to the bomb maker, with static electricity capable of setting off the bomb.

Nails or other fillings are sometimes added to the mixture, but these also increase the risk of premature detonation.

Because of the ease with which they are put together, the use of pipe bombs by criminals is unlikely to diminish any time soon.

Thursday, 4 September 2008

DUTCH police have seized a huge haul of illegal weapons, including 165 guns and 7,000 rounds of ammunition that looked set to flood the Irish market.

The immense seizure has been linked to an Irish gang run by killer Brian Meehan and to recent drug and gun seizures made by gardai.

Authorities in Holland seized the arms following a tip-off from gardai earlier this week. The haul was destined for Ireland and was linked to a drug and weapons trafficking operation running between Holland, the UK, Belfast and Dublin by Meehan’s gang. Meehan, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, is believed to be running his criminal operation from inside prison.

The Dutch public prosecution department described the find as the biggest haul of illegal weapons in recent years.

Authorities believe Meehan planned to use the haul to re-establish his gang in Dublin. However, this seizure will prove a massive blow to the criminal, who was John Gilligan’s right- hand man.

Some 165 guns, including new Glock pistols, a favourite with Irish criminals, 7,000 rounds of ammunition, silencers and laser sights were seized in a commercial property in the district of Amsterdam Oud-West. Computers, mobile phones and €20,000 in cash were also seized along with a cash-counting machine.

The raid follows a tip-off from gardai investigating a criminal organisation involved with illegal weapon and drugs trading and cigarette smuggling.

Officers here dealt a serious blow to Meehan’s gang recently with a significant seizure of guns and drugs. A number of arrests have been made here. Dutch police immediately raided three addresses in Amsterdam and one in Zaandam.

The guns are believed to have been hidden in plastic bags, in concrete and in wood wall panels at the three locations.

Three men and a woman, aged between 27 and 53, have been arrested in connection with the discorery.

No further details have been released as to their identities. The four people arrested are due to appear in court in Rotterdam tomorrow.

The seizure came about after a four-month investigation, codenamed Operation Bench, involving customs and police services in the Republic, the North and the Netherlands.